A Kashan Lustre Star Tile Depicting a figure on horseback and inscriptions, Persia, mid 13th century

the eight-pointed star with opaque glaze, painted in brown lustre, with a haloed figure on horseback set against a brown lustre ground scratched through with scrolls, bouquets, rosettes and leaves, thin band of Persian script around the rim

Perpetual Glory, Medieval Islamic Ceramics From The Harvey B. Plotnick Collection, The Art Institute of Chicago, 2007.

O. Pancaroglu, Perpetual Glory, Medieval Islamic Ceramics From The Harvey B. Plotnick Collection, The Art Institute of Chicago, 2007, pp.140-141, no.92.

In overall good condition with slight iridescence across surface and minor chips and craquelure, some abrasion to extremities, intact, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

inscriptions

Inscriptions in Persian:

gar del be hava-ye chun to'i bar-khizad
shayad ke mah az hosn-e rokhat bar khizad
chashm-e to mara khomar zad gar-u nakhost
pas zolf dar-ayad o qalam bar-khizad

'If my heart rises in passion for someone like you,
The moon will perhaps rise for the beauty of your face,
If at first your eyes made me drowsy,
Afterwards, the night would fall and the pen would rise.'

man mehr-e to dar miyan-e jan avardam
ba u hame khorde dar miyan avardam
akhir ze hame jahan bar-avardam sar
ta mehr-e to bar sar-e jahan avardam

'I carried your love to the heart of my soul,
I discussed the smallest matters with it,
Until I overcame the entire world
In order to bring your love to the world."

For a similar quatrain see, Ernst J. Grube, Cobalt and Lustre, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, vol. IX, 1994, no. 275.

agar bad koni kayfarash khod kashi
na chashm-e zamane be khwab andarast
bar eyvan-ha naqsh-e bijan hanuz
[be-zendan-e afrasiyab andarast]

'If you do wrong, you will see the consequence,
The eye of the world sleeps not.
The image of Bizhan is still on the portals
[of Afrasiyab's prison].'